The Hits And Misses Of The 39-Year Old KCPE Exam
On Thursday, the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examination results were released to 1.4 million pupils, signifying the conclusion of a significant phase in the nation’s educational revolution.
Parents and students celebrated the release of the KCPE results on the 39th and final occasion, as has been customary since the inception of the initial eight years of instruction under the 8-4-4 curriculum.
For primary education, this curriculum is nearing its conclusion as part of the 8-4-4 system.
The inception of the 8-4-4 educational system occurred in 1985, when the initial cohort of students took the KCPE examinations, marking Kenya’s transition from the 7-4-2-3 system to the 8-4-4.
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The late former president Daniel Arap Moi implemented the 8-4-4 system in an effort to enhance the caliber and applicability of education in the nation.
Boaz Waruku, Strategy Policy Advisor at Elimu Bora, explained that the rationale behind the 8-4-4 education system was to instigate a realization of an educational framework that equips learners with essential skills, attitudes, and competencies to navigate the broad spectrum of life. Waruku highlighted that the system preceding 8-4-4 was predominantly theoretical, prompting the desire for a more practical approach.
Although good intentions were behind the transition, its execution ultimately determined its outcome. It was abrupt, unstructured, and lacked a revised curriculum with regard to subject matter.
In order to accommodate the new structure, the previous content was condensed, resulting in an increased academic burden for students in primary and secondary education.
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Due to the fact that success on the primary exit exams guaranteed admission to prestigious institutions, competition increased.
Furthermore, tertiary education institutions faced increased pressure due to a shift from the previously pursued career advancement through Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) to the fiercely competitive university race.
“Whether positive or negative, the system is to blame for producing the individuals we have today; the outcomes we are observing are the result of 8-4-4,” Waruku further asserts.
The 8-4-4 system has been the subject of considerable praise and criticism. However, as time progressed, the deficiencies of the system appeared to surpass its positive aspects, prompting several commissions to undertake efforts to review and rectify the curriculum.
The resulting recommendations ultimately formed the basis of the present CBC system.
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The 8-4-4 system ends its tenure in the primary sector once all 39 cohorts of 26 million students have completed the examinations.
330,370 students took the first KCPE exam in 1985, and over the following decades, the number of candidates has steadily increased.
The initial half-million mark was surpassed in 2001, when 508,946 candidates enrolled in the examinations. In 2018, the nation registered one million students for the examinations, bringing the total number of candidates who sat for the KCPE to a record 1.4 million.
2027 will mark the concluding Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations for the system’s final cohort.
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The Hits And Misses Of The 39-Year Old KCPE Exam
